Travel tips

Well, it is more about what to take and what to leave behind. All based on my recent trip. I know many of you are great travellers, domestically and internationally, and go in all sorts of ways. Travelling in a caravan is rather like living out of a suitcase! So leave any tips for us in the comments.

Firstly, about the size of my case. I don’t know the dimensions but it is the middle size one of the three I own. There are people who are able to fit everything they need and will wear into a small carry-on case. Not me. I was going for 2 months and knew the weather would change over that time.

A couple of things to think about when selecting your case.

• The weight limits on the flights you will be taking. Long haul flights are usually generous. However domestic and some international carriers have very strict limits. I did a mixture of flights, and had to factor that into the final weight of the case. (Which was generally around 17kgs)
• One rule of travel: If you can’t carry it yourself, you don’t take it! I caught the train from London to Bournemouth, and I had forgotten how many steps there were in the London Underground. While I would have been able to (eventually) get the case up various sets of stairs, I was grateful to the young men who offered to carry it up for me!

What goes in the suitcase? I was pleased that, with the exception of one piece, I wore everything I took. Here is a selection of thoughts on clothes, in no particular order:

• Keep clothes colour co-ordinated, so that you can mix and match.
• Think about what you are going to wear on the plane. Maybe bulky items? And make sure you take a jacket/jumper/scarf if you are doing overnight flights. It gets cold on planes.
• Create layers
• Another rule of travel: if you don’t wear it at home, you probably won’t wear it travelling.
• Think very carefully about shoes, as these are usually the most bulky items. Whatever pairs you take, make sure they are comfortable.
• Try to not pack ‘just in case’ items. That’s difficult for me. Living in Melbourne, where the weather is notoriously changeable, ‘just in case’ is a way of life!
• If you wear scarves (thinking about the rule above) take a couple. They are lightweight, stuff into a handbag, can dress up an outfit and there will be times when you need an extra layer.

I discovered packing cubes and loved them! They are lightweight, zippered fabric pouches, which come in a range of sizes and are great for organising your clothes and other items. They range in price, but I found the cheaper ones were just as good as the more expensive.

The advantages were, firstly, that I could find things in the suitcase. Before my socks and undies would have been scattered throughout, but a pod dedicated to underwear meant that I could find them easily. And I could sort clean from dirty. Secondly it made packing and unpacking so much easier as it was a matter of taking out one cube rather than many individual pieces. And they usually nestled neatly next to each other.

I roll up all my clothes, and they fitted into the cubes.

Aside from shoes the other bulky item is toiletries. I managed to have all I needed in a small zip-up bag. However I don’t wear make-up and therefore didn’t need to pack whatever items this includes.

• I decanted sunscreen/moisturiser and hair gel stuff into smaller containers. You can buy little screw top pots that are very cute, and mine didn’t leak.
• Hotels provide soaps, shampoos and conditioners. So unless you are allergic to unknown products, you don’t need to take these bulky things.
• Look out for small sample toothpastes. Your dentist maybe? They take up less space than a full size tube.
• I have discovered deodorant that comes in a tin! Again, much less bulky than roll-ons or sprays.

And lastly some random thoughts:

• Think about your medication and what you will need while you are away. While initially packets take up space at least you will have fewer packets as you go along!
• And on medication, remember to take whatever you need if you are travelling overnight and don’t have access to your case. I put mine in another little screw-top pot that slipped easily in my carry-on luggage. It was much easier to manage on the plane to wrangling blister packs.
• You will buy and collect things along the way. Clothes, presents, mementoes. They need to go somewhere! I bought a hand-knitted jumper in Ireland, which had to go in the case. I happily turfed out the jumper from home, which I had worn to death.
• My most valued piece of clothing was my puffer jacket. Warm, wind-resistant and squashed up so it didn’t take much space. Oh, and also my blue and green chiffon scarf.
• Take a small, fold up umbrella. I left mine at home and had to buy one. (And for something completely different, read about Slawa Duldig, who perfected the folding umbrella.)

I hope there is at least one idea here you can take away with you. Any other suggestions? Let me know.

I travelled through the lands of many First Nations Peoples of Canada, and I respect them for the deep love and care they have for their Country. I acknowledge their ancestors and elders past and present. As I respectfully acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land on which I live in Melbourne/Naarm – the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung People of the Kulin Nation, their spirits, ancestors, elders and community members past and present. The land always was, and always will be, Aboriginal land.

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